U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,868 B1 issued in November of 2001 to Krietemeier et al., titled “Dispenser Which Incrementally Heats Fluids with Substantial Non-Volatile Constituent Parts,” describes a machine that houses a large quantity of unheated liquid material in a main reservoir a portion of which, upon activation of a power button, is pumped into a pre-delivery chamber where it may be heated to a desired temperature and subsequently dispensed through a dispensing spout. The Krietemeier invention heats a limited quantity of liquid housed within the machine whereas the present invention heats the entire quantity of liquid contained in a compartment.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,158,717 issued in January of 2007 by Young et al., titled “Apparatus for Altering a Temperature State of a Liquid within a Container and Method of Use,” principally describes a device comprising multiple heated cavities each cavity configured to receive a portion of a liquid container. Heat generating electronics are housed within the device. These electronics include a heat transfer element integrated as a part of each cavity. The heat transfer element is operable to alter a temperature state of a cavity. When a cavity is heated, concomitantly the temperature of the liquid within a container is altered. The Young device is comprised of multiple temperature altering cavities sized to receive only a portion of a liquid container. Because the Young device does not completely enclose the container of liquid, the device suffers from excessive heat loss which increases the time and energy required to heat the liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,015 issued in March of 2005 to Gutierrez, et al., titled “Compartmentalized Dispensing Device and Method for Dispensing a Flowable Food Product Therefrom,” principally describes a machine that heats and dispenses a flowable food product. The machine is configured to internally house one or more removable cassettes containing packaged food products. Each cassette comprises a built-in heat exchanger and insulating substrate to avoid excessive heat loss. The machine comprises an electrical assembly such that power from an external source may be supplied to individual cassettes. The machine may comprise a valve mechanism adapted to engage a discharge tube of the food package allowing the food product to be dispensed while contained within the machine. The Gutierrez machine is comprised of removable cassettes that heat an enclosed food containing package. The Gutierrez invention is AC powered whereas present invention is DC powered. Also, the Gutierrez invention is specific to flowable food products. Other patented inventions describing machines limited to heating and dispensing flowable food products include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,733 issued to Wheeler in December of 1999, titled “Apparatus for the Dispensing of Heated Viscous Food Products,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,935 issued to Huegerich et al., in January of 2000, titled “Viscous Food Dispensing and Heating/Cooling Assembly and Method,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,157 issued to Gehl et al., in May of 2000, titled “Device for Dispensing Flowable Materials from a Flexible Package,” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,406 issued to Feldner in July of 2000, titled “Packaged Food Warmer and Dispenser.” Each of case the patents indicate that the machines are AC powered.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,849,830 B2 issued to Daniano in February of 2005, titled “Apparatus and Method of Rapidly and Evenly Heating a Packaged Product,” principally describes a device with an enclosed heating cavity having thermal conductive surfaces configured to receive one or more food containers. The device comprises an assembly that controls the temperature of the heating surfaces. The device is AC powered. The Damiano device is specific to heating food containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,991 issued to Osbern in December of 19190, titled “Heating Device for Heating a Gel Container Received Therein,” describes a device for heating a gel used in physical examinations. The device comprises a receptable with heating capabilities and a gel container partially positioned within the receptacle. The receptacle has an oval-shaped base, a conical wall extending from the base to a vertically positioned cylindrically shaped flue, and the flue. The base supports a ring-shaped heating element. The cylindrical gel container slides down into the flue (the top of the container is exposed above the flue) and rests on the base of the receptacle within the ring-shaped heating element. The specification and drawings indicate the heating element is AC powered. The Osbern device is specific to a single container of gel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,957 B1 issued in July of 2002 to Michaels et al., titled “Apparatus for Dispensing a Heated Post-Foaming Gel,” principally describes a machine that houses a pressurized can of gel including shaving gel heating and dispensing a measured portion substantially foam free. The Michaels invention heats a limited quantity of gel originally contained in the pressurized can. The Michaels invention is specific to a single product, a pressurized container of gel including a shaving gel. See also U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,160 issued in May of 2000 to Carlucci et al., titled “Heated Foaming Liquid Dispensing Apparatus;” U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,771 issued in May of 1996 to Cote, titled “Shaving Dispenser;” and U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,949 issued in January of 11908 to Ryckman, titled “Apparatus for Heating and Dispensing Flowable Material.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,590 issued in March of 2004 to Holley, titled “Bottle Warmer for Disposable Baby Bottle,” principally describes a device for warming a beverage stored in a disposable baby bottle assembly including a disposable liner supported in a hollow sleeve of the assembly. The assembly is partially housed within the cylindrical device within which is positioned a cylindrical heat transfer element. The heat transfer element slides between the sleeve wall of the assembly and the disposable liner. When activated a heat generator mounted in the housing transfers heat to the heat transfer element which in turn heats the beverage stored in the liner. The Holley invention houses only a portion of a disposable baby bottle assembly (nipple and cap are positioned without the device) whereas the present invention houses and heats an entire disposable container comprising one or more compartments containing one or more products to be heated. The Holley invention is specific to a single product, a disposable baby bottle assembly.
Other devices that heat products in situ include a baby wipe warmer (U.S. Pat. No. 7,022,944 issued in April of 2006 to Western, titled “Container and Warmer for Wipes and the Like”) and a medical pad warmer (U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,750 issued in November of 2001 to Levin, titled “Apparatus for Warming Medical Pads”). Those inventions are specific to baby wipes and the like and medical pads.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,911,010 B2 issued in June of 2005 to Dirks et al., titled “Heated Massager with Massaging Liquid Dispenser,” describes a hand-held battery powered vibrating massager comprising a heated vibrating body contacting element, and a sealed container of massaging liquid. The dispensed massaging liquid is heated on the target surface by means of the body contacting element.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,424 B1 issued in April of 2001 to Helfer-Grand, titled “Towelette Dispenser Apparatus,” describes a portable device that dispenses pre-moistened heated towelettes. The towelettes may be housed originally in the dispenser dry and moistened as dispensed or originally housed in the dispenser in a pre-moistened state. In either case the towelette is heated as dispensed. The portable dispenser if AC or DC powered.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,741,521 B2 issued in June of 2004 to McCleskey et al., titled “Combination Prophylactic and Sanitizer,” principally describes an article of manufacture combining a packaged prophylactic with a packaged sanitizer the latter being used to clean or sanitize the genitals prior to or after sexual intercourse. The invention claims a combination prophylactic and sanitizer comprising a disposable package containing a prophylactic and a second disposable package containing at least one sanitizer the second package removably secured to the first package. The article comprises no means to heat the sanitizer or prophylactic. See also U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,775 issued in June of 2003 to Hagoplan, titled “Method of External Genital Cleansing and Prophylactic Kit;” U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,417 issued in September of 2003 to Woodhouse, titled “Method and Apparatus for Containing Prophylactic Articles.”